Fact Check: Did Mitchell Starc really bowl a 176.5 Kmph delivery, breaking Shoaib Akhtar's record?

October 19, 2025 by News Desk

During the India vs Australia 1st ODI, a speed gun reading showed Mitchell Starc bowling a 176.5 kmph delivery to Rohit Sharma, sparking excitement among cricket fans. Social media erupted with claims that it was the fastest ball in ODI history, surpassing Shoaib Akhtar’s record of 161.3 kmph.

However, this viral claim is false. The speed gun reading was a technical error. Such glitches occasionally occur due to calibration issues in broadcasting equipment.

No official statement from the ICC or Cricket Australia confirmed that Starc bowled at that speed. His actual deliveries during the match were within his usual 145–150 kmph range.

The match saw Australia make a strong start after opting to bowl first. Rohit Sharma fell early, edging a rising delivery from Josh Hazlewood to the slips. Soon after, Mitchell Starc dismissed Virat Kohli for a duck, giving Australia an early advantage. India’s batting continued to struggle, with Shubman Gill scoring 10 and Shreyas Iyer 11 before rain interrupted the game, reducing it to 32 overs per side.

At that stage, India were 48/4 in 15 overs, with KL Rahul and Axar Patel tasked with rebuilding the innings.

Cricket experts clarified that while Starc is one of the fastest bowlers in modern cricket, a 176.5 kmph delivery is beyond the limits of recorded cricket history. The highest verified speed remains Shoaib Akhtar’s 161.3 kmph delivery against England in the 2003 World Cup.

Fans initially flooded social media with reactions to the speed gun reading, joking about Starc’s “superhuman” pace. Later, they acknowledged it was an error but the clip had already gone viral.

Verdict: The claim that Mitchell Starc bowled a 176.5 kmph delivery to Rohit Sharma is false. The viral reading was caused by a speed gun error and does not represent a record-breaking delivery.